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MILWAUKIE, Ore. – It was a killer day on Thursday for the employees of Dave’s Killer Bread. They were all greeted by surprise post-Christmas bonus checks and the big news that Dave’s plans to expand nationally next year now that the company has joined forces with a new equity partner.

The die-hard local fans of Dave’s Killer Bread know the company’s success has to do with much more than the killer name.

“When I first started creating bread I didn’t think about cost, I thought about what’s going to make it the best and the result was Killer Bread,” said co-founder and company president Dave Dahl.

The bread company that started seven years ago with a cult following at farmer’s markets is now available in 11 states. It recently expanded to Colorado and Southern California, and with the new financial partner, Dave’s bread will be available coast-to-coast.

“We’re going to Chicago and Texas,” Dahl said. “I think these are opportunities developing to go to the East Coast and work it back and fill it all up.”

New York-based Goode Partners bought an equity stake in Dave’s Killer Bread and will add three representatives to the company’s board. A long-time veteran of the baking industry will also join the company as chairman of the board to help guide the expansion.

If you’re already a Dave’s customer, you are probably familiar with the Dahl’s powerful story from before his success.